Algernon s



(No Model.)

'A. S. HUBBELL.

UMBRELLA. No. 453,301. Patented June 2,1891.

wane/00% 7 5440014 600 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALGERNON S. I-IUBBELL, OF NOR WICH, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO ANSONGARDNER, OF SAME PLACE.

UMBRELLA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 453,301, dated June 2,1891.

I Application filed December 17, 1890. Serial No. 375,036. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALGE'RNON S. HUBBELL,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Norwich, in the county ofNew London and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Umbrellas, which improvements are fully set forthand described in the following specification, reference being had to theaccompanying sheet of drawings.

N This invention is in the class of umbrellas that may be folded andpacked into small space, a type of said class being seen in my patent,No. 383,128, issued May 22, 1888.

The object of this present invention is to simplify somewhat theconstruction of the rib-joint in such umbrellas, and also to render theoperation of unlocking the rib-j oint when about to fold the umbrellaless laborious and less complicated than heretofore.

In my earlier patent, above referred to, the rib was jointed midway ofits length and a spring-pressed sliding bolt provided in one sectionthat entered a coincident slot in the opposite section when the umbrellawas opened. This bolt had a lateral projection that could be reached bya finger-nail to draw the bolt back and so unlock the rib. Such a formof bolt I have found to be unnecessary and also somewhat difficult tooperate, and I have therefore invented the locking joint illustrated inthe annexed sheet of drawings, Figure 1 being a view of a complete ribwith stretcher attached; and Fig. 2 an enlarged side view of the jointand parts of the connected rib and stretcher, the joint being shown aslocked. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the same parts with the jointopened. Fig. 4: is a longitudinal sectional view of the joint; and Fig.5 a top view of that portion of the rib which forms the locking-bolt andwhich contains the spring that actuates said bolt.

In the drawings, a and 1) denote the two sections which form the hingeof my lockjoint, said sections being connected by a'pintle or pivotc'and provided with lateral wings d to which the stretcher e is riveted,and between which the locking-bolt passes when the umbrella is opened.The rib-section h is secured rigidly in the hinge-section a, as in myearlier patent, but instead of securing the companion rib-section h inthe end of hingesection b and providing a separate bolt, as before, Ihave now extended said rib, so that its end projects through section b,and have left it free to be moved longitudinally within saidhinge-section a limited distance, thus making it possible to utilizesaid projecting end as a bolt that may enter between the wings (Z.

The rib as illustrated is of the form commonly known as the paragon rib,and is struck or rolled up from sheet metal. The end of section h thatis to serve as the bolt is pinched together, as at hiand immediately inthe rear of said pinched end.(within the rib) is a spiral spring 6,whose opposite end abuts a lipk. The spring 2 acts with a constanttendency to force the rib h to the left hand, as illustrated in thedrawings. To prevent said 'rib from moving too great a distance, I crimpor squeeze it together, as at 7L3, just beyond the described lip 70,thus providing a stop that may engage said lip and limit the forwardmovement of the bolt.

When it is desired to close and fold an umbrella having mynewly-invented look-joint, it is only necessary to seize the ends of theribs h and pull them outward against the force of springs i. Thiswithdraws ends 72 of said ribs from between the wings cl, and the ribsmay then be folded into one-half the length which they assume when theumbrella is in use. This manner of releasing the locking-bolt is muchmore satisfactorythan that necessary in my former patent, and alsodispenses with the separate bolt required in said patent.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In a folding umbrella, thecombination, with a locking-joint composed of two sections hingedtogether, of a stretcher and a rib composed of two pieces, one of whichand the stretcher are secured to one of the joint-sections and the otherpiece of the rib projects through and is movable longitudinally within 5the other joint-section with its inner end adapted to engage with theend of the stretcher and lock the rib, and means for automaticallymoving the rib-section in one direction and limiting the scope of such'movement, sub- I00 stantially as described.

2. In a folding umbrella, the combination,

with a locking-joint composed of two sections hinged together, one ofwhich is provided with a lip, of a stretcher and a rib composed of twopieces, one of which and the stretcher are 5 secured to one of thejoint-sections and the other piece of the rib is closed at its inner endand contracted near the end and is movable longitudinally within theother joint-section,

and a spring within the rib between the closed end and the lip of thesection to force the end IQ of the rib under the end of the stretcherand lock the rib, substantially as described.

ALGERNON S. I-IUBBELL. Witnesses:

FRANK I-I. ALLEN, ALONZO M. LUTHER.

